


Lion & Lamb

by TheShorty



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Aftercare, Explicit Sexual Content, Explicit and Ongoing Consent, F/M, Light BDSM, Light Pain Play
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:16:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14792924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheShorty/pseuds/TheShorty
Summary: "Are you sure?"She never expected to be here—lying against him on the couch in complete comfort or having this conversation.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> The fic is set in obscure time and place after Resolutions. You can use your own imagination as to when and where this happens.
> 
> This is a definite WIP, but each chapter should hold its own as well. I'll add appropriate tags as chapters are added.

“Are you sure?”

Kathryn nestled between Chakotay’s legs on the couch, resting comfortably against his chest. Her hands played across his forearms for a few minutes before sliding her fingers into his as they rested on her stomach. She reveled in these times: his arms warm around her, his heartbeat steady against her ear, their hands floating with their simultaneous breath.

She never expected to be here—lying against him on the couch in complete comfort or having this conversation.

Their earlier conversation made an unexpected turn to unfulfilled fantasies. They talked about planets and performers, terran and spatial phenomena, the wonders of a hundred worlds they understood but had yet to see. It was only a matter of time before more personal fantasies—shrouded in darkness, unspoken, unsafe—poured out like a bottle of ink upturned, and were immediately supplanted by frantic attempts to hide stains that weren't stains at all.

Quiet reassurance soothed anxious stutters and restless shifting. Careful words traversed shadows, flickering encouraging but undemanding light amongst fantasies concealed for years due to shame and fear. Each pass barely teased their edges and receded gently, expertly avoiding opportunities for apprehension to take root, until they were left with the final question floating between them. 

“Yes, I’m sure. I’ve… tried… in other encounters, other relationships. But it was never quite right.” A haggard sigh met a comforting squeeze. “Sometimes they tried but just didn’t know enough—about me, about what we were trying to do, maybe both—to make it work. Other times…. Their hearts weren’t in it, so they wouldn’t push me. The first sign of resistance—not even resistance, more like overwhelmed hesitation in the heat of the moment—they called it off. After a while, I just kind of… gave up. I figured they were just meant to stay fantasies.”

“They don’t have to be, but it'll take time to bring them to life—figuring out what feels good and what doesn’t, what boundaries can or can’t be pushed, whatever else we need to learn and unlearn along the way.”

“I trust you.”

His arms and hands tightened around her, pulling her imperceptibly closer.

“I love you, too.”

 


	2. Relentless Tenderness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you to the amazing Devovere for her beta-ing and to BlackVelvet42 for the months of gentle pestering to continue to the story.
> 
> <3

Kathryn didn’t know what to expect after their first conversation, but it wasn’t the emotionally draining process that came next. They spent hours talking about past experiences, fantasies, boundaries, and anything else they could think to discuss. She thought giving him her heart was the scariest thing she’d ever done until they started peeling back the deeper, darker layers of their souls, balancing their discussions between emotional damage and erotic exploration.

Hands roamed during their conversations about particularly heated fantasies. As he coaxed details of her fantasy, his hands invariably found their way to her breasts to tease them, his eyes studying her face as she answered his questions, her eyes closing as she finished exposing her dreams. Never missing a beat, he used that damn silky voice of his to describe how her fantasy fit with one of his own, his hands wandering until they found the distinct hardness of her clit against the soft wetness surrounding it. His whispered fantasies mixed with feather-light touches around her clit, making her toes curl and intoxicating her in ways that even her favorite Irish whiskey couldn’t manage, yet he never brought her fully to orgasm.

“Is this what you want?” he prodded gently with both words and fingers. “Answer me, Kathryn; I need to hear you say it. I won’t do anything you don’t want.”

It was always what she wanted.

He would draw out the tease of her first orgasm, his hand or face buried between her thighs, until she thought her toes might break or she would lose her orgasm.

Then… then, he would make her open her eyes.

Sometimes, it was the silk of Chakotay’s voice surrounding her, light and airy, as she pushed herself against his hand, desperate and wanton. “Watch yourself, Kathryn,” he whispered, only meeting her thrusts when she stared, eyes wide and glassy, as their combined movement catapulted her into the throes of orgasm.

Other times, his voice seemed as heavy and deep as the pressure in her belly. “Look at me, Kathryn.” The warmth of his voice drew her eyes to him as much as the slide of his body down hers. Only when she finally opened her eyes would he press his mouth to her, giving her the pressure and friction needed to fall over the edge of lightening pleasure.

 

* * *

  **Today**

 

 _That captain’s façade barely conceals her impatience sometimes._ Chakotay bites his cheek to stop the mischievous smile from crossing his face while he works on his padd, the real object of his thoughts sitting across the couch from him.

It had been a week since her patience had run out.

 

* * *

**One Week Ago**

 

After dinner, Kathryn excused herself for a bath while he finished some reports, her favorite music program playing softly over the speakers in their bedroom.

The music was still playing when he finally finished; not surprising, but definitely not her normal routine. He expected her to be sitting in bed reading, or maybe even asleep by then, not lying naked and waiting with a siren’s smile. Not that he was complaining.

He stood in the doorway, watching her as she propped herself up on her hands. “Come to bed, Chakotay. Don’t you think it’s time?” It took only moments to move around the bed, smiling as he loomed over her, his body casting a shadow across her torso even in the ambient lighting she’d chosen. The shadow grew as he leaned in to gently kiss her forehead… her nose… her cheeks… her lips. She tried to deepen the kiss and huffed her frustration when he pulled away. She practically pouted at him; the only thing missing was a trembling lower lip.

Chakotay disappeared into the bathroom to take a shower and get ready for bed.

Twenty minutes later, she faced away from his side of the bed as he slid between cool sheets. She hadn’t bothered to put on pajamas after he went to the bathroom, and he slept naked whenever possible. He curled up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and settling his chin on her shoulder. Even after all this time, his breath still caught every time his bare skin touched hers.

“Talk to me, Kathryn.”

Her lips thinned out as she contemplated his statement and her response. “I’m irritated. We’ve spent all this time talking, and nothing’s happened.” Chakotay’s raised eyebrow saw her quickly correct herself. “Nothing related to… that, at least.”

He smiled and nuzzled her cheek. “Shouldn’t that be something I determine? When and how we proceed with… “that” as you call it?” his gentle voice held an unmistakable steel. That is, after all, the focal point of many of her fantasies—Chakotay leads and Kathryn must follow. She turned in his arms, fingertips caressing his chest.

The muscles of her jaw twitched as she set it before replying. “Chakotay, I…” her voice trailed off at the softness in his eyes.

“Yes?”

Kathryn sighed and glared at him. “I’m tired of waiting. I’m ready to find out. _Now._ ” She scowled as his dimples appeared.

He didn’t try to hide the laughter in his voice. “I know, _anqas**_. That’s why we’re waiting, still.” He kissed her again, fluttering his lips across hers, waiting for her to try to deepen the kiss again. Chakotay retreated when she did, breath skimming across her cheek until his lips just grazed her ear.

Kathryn groaned as a shiver flashed down her spine.

“My decision, Kathryn, not yours.” With one last nip to her earlobe, he settled her against his chest and dragged the comforter over them both. Waves of frustration emanated from her, punctuated by soft puffs of air against his skin, as her impatience and ingrained command instincts battled against a deeper yearning to relinquish herself and fulfill her long and deeply-held fantasies. Chakotay pressed his cheek against the top of her head, caressing her back in slow, soothing motions until her muscles relaxed and her breath evened into sleep.

 

* * *

**Today**

He sent a message to her personal padd even though she sat within arm’s reach.

 

_Change of plans tonight._

 

She had no idea what the message meant, as she didn’t know of any plans tonight in the first place, but she pressed her hand against her stomach anyways, as if to stop the butterflies. The day dragged on; no matter how many reports she read through, it was like she was stuck in a temporal anomaly that slowed time to a snail’s pace.

Finishing her own work didn’t help, either, because now she had nothing to occupy her mind except the meaning of his cryptic message. When he finally waltzed through the door, she got a swift but chaste kiss on his way to the shower, disappearing before she could ask about his message.

She heard him faintly call for her to check the replicator. She rolled her eyes and checked the soup. Finding it properly cooked, she removed it, requested rice, and pulled dishes from the cupboard.

She was pouring the wine by the time he emerged from the shower. Water dripped from his dark hair still, and he had slipped on some casual pants. He remained shirtless, and she couldn’t stop herself from reaching out to press her hands against his chest. She had to make sure he was still there, that this wasn’t some cruel dream… or nightmare. Catching her hand against his chest, he pulled her to him and kissed her thoroughly, reading the uncertainty and fear written across her face as she touched him. It still happened to them both from time to time. The Delta quadrant left more emotional and mental scars than it ever did physical ones.

Her breathing evened out against his chest, and he loosened his grip. “Let’s eat,” he said, indicating for her to sit as he brought the rice to the table. Dinner passed quietly, and he stood to clear the table once they finished. Chakotay took the plate from her hand when she tried to help and shooed her to the bath, her favorite ‘weekend’ indulgence. Three days off, together, meant this was their weekend.

Kathryn’s breath caught in her throat when she walked into the bathroom. The lights were lowered, the water running, and there was a box on the counter with a card propped up on top of it. Her heart fluttered, and a smile lit her face as she lifted the card.

 

_You can open your present once you’ve enjoyed your bath. No touching—anything—except to clean yourself up. Relax and enjoy, but I hold your orgasms tonight. ♡_

 

She hated anticipation, and he knew that. _Damn him._ After disrobing, she ran her hand over the present, considering her options. He cleared his throat behind her, momentarily startling her out of her musings. A cheeky grin plastered itself on her face as she pivoted slowly on her right foot. “Can I help you?” Her eyebrow quirked up at him.

His half smile revealed his left dimple. He took the few steps to stand in front of her. She went to take a step back but found herself against the counter. He towered over her and her heart tripped into double-time at his abrupt intrusion into her personal space. Meeting his eyes, she watched as the molten fire of lust cooled into sharp, deadly obsidian. Her breath caught in her throat. His hand swept across her cheek softly, winding past her ear to gently cup her head at the base of her neck. He waited for her to relax back into his touch, never dropping her gaze. She couldn’t stop the gasp when his hand suddenly tangled her hair, pulling just hard enough that she had to resist the force in order to maintain his gaze in this game of chicken.

“Don’t,” was all he said before his head dipped and teeth scraped over the pulse pounding against the side of her throat, speeding up with every second she held her breath. “Prove this is what you want.”

As quickly as he entered her space, he retreated. She hadn’t caught her breath when the door clicked close.

She felt her hand on the box and jerked away like it burned her. The fire wasn’t outside her body, though, but an unmistakable heat now clinging against and sliding down the insides of her thighs.

_So much for relax and enjoy._

 

She tried halfheartedly to slow down and enjoy her bath, but her mind was elsewhere. She was careful not to spend too much time on the areas most sensitive right now—her throat, her breasts, her mound—and then clambered out of the bath so quickly she almost faceplanted onto the floor. _That would have made for a sexy night… recovering from a concussion._

After drying the floor and her body, and brushing through her hair, she touched the box with tentative fingers. She paused, half expecting him to clear his throat from the doorway again, but all she heard was soft music in their bedroom. Slipping the top off the box, she felt the soft, sturdy material before draping it around her neck. A soft gasp escaped her when she felt the metal ends meld together; pulling on the sides, she couldn’t remove it. She stood back to see herself in the mirror, running her hands across the soft material and taking in the sight of the darkness against her light skin. It reminded her of his hands after he spent a few days outside working in the sun. She focused on her breathing as she ran a towel over her hair and body once more to vanquish any lingering bathwater before tossing the cloth into the laundry. One more deep breath and she headed into the bedroom, ready to see what Chakotay had prepared for her.

 

* * *

 

While she bathed, Chakotay moved a small, sturdy chest from the closet to rest against the wall of the bedroom. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Chakotay laughed silently at the splashing noises coming from the bath. _So impatient._ He heard a heavy thunk accompanied by a grunt and cracked open the door to check on his bride only to hear her muttering to herself. “Slow down, Kathryn. He won’t fuck you if you have a concussion.” He softly closed the door again and rushed to the other side of the room to further stifle his barely contained laughter.

He sat against the headboard on his side of the bed, reading—or at least pretending to read—until she stepped out of the bathroom, biting his lip softly as his eyes drank in the sight of her.

He indicated for her to come to his side of the bed. Taking another deep breath, she padded around the bed to stand beside him. She felt the hot flush across her cheeks and chest as he grabbed the fingers of one hand and kissed each of them softly.

Stillness filled the room, except the occasional harsh exhale as Kathryn steadied her nerves. Finally, she met his gaze, feeling another wave of heat spreading as he shifted to sit directly in front of her. It was odd looking down on him like this, considering how exposed and vulnerable she felt.

“Is this what you want?”

Her chest rose with a deep inhalation. “Yes. Is this what you want?”

A wink and a smile crossed his face. “Most definitely. What are the rules?”

One of the easier conversations was setting out some early boundaries and rules. They’d chosen to stick with simple rules and frequent check-ins at first, with the understanding that they might become less frequent as they learned to read one another.

“One. Tell you if anything feels wrong, immediately, even if you’ve told me to be quiet otherwise. I can say whatever I want during check-ins, or just red/yellow/green. Any non-sexy words or repeated fast hand taps are considered safewords, in case of emergency. Two. No orgasms without permission.” She couldn’t resist tracing his dimples as he smiled up at her.

“Good. Then let’s get started.”

She squeaked—a most uncaptainly and endearing sound—as his teeth caught her nipple in a nibble. Nibbles that gained pressure until she was gritting her teeth and groaning against the pain, her fingernails digging into his shoulders to steady herself; every increase in pressure corresponded with a thrust of her hips, desperately seeking relief already.

Changing suddenly from a bite to heavy suction elicited a whimper as he ran the tip of his finger over her clit once; her knees buckled as she tried to follow his finger. She groaned when he pushed her away and stood up. “Not yet, _anqas_. Lay down on your belly.”

She looked at him hesitantly but moved toward the bed. As she wiggled her body into a comfortable position, he reminded her. “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. All you have to do is tell me. Is that clear?” She nodded her agreement. “Good. Now, relax.” She felt his weight shift the bed as he straddled her thighs. She sighed as his warm hands met the tight muscles on her back, grazing mostly but occasionally leaning into various pressure points to help her relax. She kept breathing, focusing on the feeling of his hands across her back, the patterns he drew, the sensations swirling around his hands, until her whole body felt heavy.

He knew from practiced experience when she entered that liminal state between consciousness and unconsciousness. He continued his light touch for a few more strokes, then curled his fingers, let his nails scrape lightly across her back in the same pattern. All she gave was a small sigh.

“You work so hard to resist feeling sometimes, Kathryn. It’s like you’re afraid of anything that you can’t predict or immediately control. When they happen, because they have to happen at some point—even to Vulcans and Starfleet captains—you’re more than ready to jump on whatever makes them go away the fastest or lets you ignore them the longest, even if that doesn’t give you necessarily the best outcome.”

He deepened the pressure of his nails, feeling some resistance now as they caught on her skin. Her eyes fluttered, but she remained still and breathing easily, softly grunting when his nails were particularly resistant. He leaned down and kissed her shoulder, nipping lightly as his hands continued their journey. When they reached her ass, his fingertips pushed firmly into the crease where buttock meets thigh, then curled up, catching the sensitive flesh in a biting grip. She cried out at the sudden change in sensation, instinctively trying to move away from the pain but finding that only made it worse.

“Keep breathing.”

It took two or three rocky breaths before her muscles relaxed. Light scratches resumed as he continued his soft speech.

“I don’t know if you were always that way, though. At least at the beginning of our journey, you seemed to handle the tide of emotions better. But now… I’m not sure. Maybe it’s just other people’s emotion, emotions that you don’t have to feel so intensely, that you can deal with better.”

As his fingers made their way to her shoulders, his teeth slowly sank deeper and deeper into the sensitive muscle along her shoulder, drawing a long, guttural moan until Kathryn remembered to take a breath. The teeth released, and soft kisses and flicks of the tongue soothed the offended area.

Chakotay moved to her side, but never broke contact.

“Face down, ass up.” He rested a hand on her lower back until she was in position, then ran a finger through her wetness, avoiding her clit. She buried her head in the mattress to hide her embarrassment and smother her moan.

“Look at me, Kathryn.” After weeks of him giving her that command, her neck craned automatically to find him. Her quick response caused her own gasp, and he chuckled at her. “You thought you had to have that collar around your neck for this to happen, did you? Turns out, what you thought was—how did you phrase it?—'nothing’ was just the beginning.”

She whimpered as she watched him lick her wetness from his finger. He swiped through her folds again then offered her his fingers, his voice calm as he continued his previous musings. “Maybe, though… maybe your actual fear is that of trust because you know you’ll enjoy that loss of control.” Redness seeped from her face down her chest as she tentatively lapped at his finger, trying to draw it into her mouth.

“Don’t move.” His voice was quiet but solid. She watched him as he moved to the chest and pulled out a few things.

The bed shifted as he sat down on the end, and she felt his warmth against the back of her thighs. “Now. You wanted to see how you respond to pain, and well…” another finger lightly pulled across her cunt, “it seems so far so good. But we should run some other tests just to be sure.” She shuddered as his tongue lapped at her slowly. “Need to dry you off a little first, though,” his voice teased, “so we can see what gets the best response.”

After another slow lick she felt a small pressure on her labia. The slow onslaught continued—enough pressure to know he was there but not enough to get off—as he added clamps of different sizes and strengths to her labia. Once, she grimaced and said “no” instinctively. It disappeared instantly and his fingers gently rubbed the slighted area as he continued the slow assault of his tongue. The movements of his head jostled the clips, causing her to groan and whimper with every stroke of his tongue.

“So far, _anqas_ , you seem to be quite happy with this kind of pain.” She felt his finger flit across her clit and tried to follow it, making herself groan at all the pins moving with her. His smile was palpable against her. “I told you not to move for a reason.”

Two fingers pressed firmly on either side of her clit. “Better?” he asked. “Yes.” She sighed out, moving subtly to get the friction she craved without moving the pins too much.

She exhaled suddenly as her clit was engulfed in its own, unexpected pressure and he twisted it just slightly.

“Be still.” His fingers relaxed around her clit again. “Understood?”

“Yes sir.” He grinned against her, rubbing more firmly on either side of her clit at her choice of words.

“Check-in time, Kathryn. How are you?” He slowed his fingers, waiting for her response.

“I’m ok, Chakotay. Frustrated, but I want to keep going.” Heavy lidded blue eyes sparkled up at him and the corners of her lips twitched upwards.

He smiled and kissed her lower back, moving his fingers back across her clit lightly. When she tried to press harder against his fingers, one finger pulled away and the other moved to press steadily above her clit. Kathryn practically deflated onto the bed, hips dropping to rest on her feet despite the discomfort of the moving clamps.

 _I wonder how long it will take her to realize her impatience is why she isn’t getting what she wants?_ Chakotay wasn’t worried about whether she had one or one hundred orgasms tonight, but she wouldn’t have any until she just let herself feel without trying to rush through the experience. _Until she stops trying to take what she wants instead of what I’m trying to give her._

She might not have any orgasms at this rate. He smiled again; it’s all up to her, but part of him twitched at the thought of her going through the night painfully aroused but unable to do anything about it. _Not too fast, Chakotay._

“Lift back up.” She moaned softly at the clip’s movement as she lifted her ass back up to the air. Pressing his finger above her clit, he smiled as he leaned down and ran his tongue around her anus. She groaned into the bed and her body trembled as she struggled to keep still. He nipped over the nail indentations still present on her upper thigh, sliding his finger firmly over her clit and back to its original position. “You liked that?”

Kathryn moaned her agreement but didn’t try to follow his finger. “Good, _anqas,_ that’s it.” He slid against her clit again.

He cupped his hand, knowing it would cause more bark than true bite. The crack reverberated across the room followed closely by an inaudible sound from where her face was again buried in the pillow. He dipped his fingers back into her folds and chuckled. “You don’t seem to mind that pain either.” His thumb circled her clit. She whimpered and growled at the mixture of sensations created by the moving pins along her lips and the heated sting across her buttock.

His nails skimmed the red print on her ass, matching the rhythm on her clit and slowing both until they were still. He waited while her breathing evened out and her hands relaxed their grip on the sheets by her head.

“Ready?” he asked, and she nodded again. One by one he removed the pins from her labia, rubbing the afflicted area after each removal. She hissed and whimpered through the process, but managed to keep _mostly_ still. He knew the pins hurt more coming off than going on, but he wasn’t sure she did. Until now. “Turn over and get comfortable. Knees up, legs open.”

There was no hesitation as she moved this time.

Kathryn bit her lip as she adjusted to the position requested. Glassy eyes held his gaze for the first time since they started. Easing between her thighs, his kiss caught her whimper as she welcomed his weight and the warmth of his skin on hers. He smoothed her hair back as he broke the kiss. “Check-in time. How are you, _anqas_?” Her brilliant smile made his cock twitch against her, and he kissed her again before she could respond. When they broke for air, he rested against her forehead. “I’m sorry. You’re so beautiful, I couldn’t resist. How are you?” It took her a moment to gather her wits, but she smiled and nodded at him. “I love you. More.”

Her breath hitched at the grin he gave her as he pushed his hips into her tender pelvis again and bent his head to her throat. He groaned as wetness seeped through his underwear. “Do you know how wet you are, Kathryn? Can you feel that? It might not be a lot of pain yet, but you definitely seem to enjoy it. Who knew the reckless queen of the Delta quadrant would want someone to control her, to hurt her, and that she would become an ocean from it? I wonder if you could come just from the pain, hmm?”

He bit and sucked his way down her throat and chest, hearing her breathing become erratic as he talked to her. He glanced at her face to make sure it wasn’t from emotional overload. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lip, but she didn’t seem to be in distress. When he reached the apex of her thighs, he smiled against her. “Don’t move more than your head, Kathryn. Watch me, and remember the rules.”

Her gaze swept quickly to his and he held it intently as he finally put his lips against her clit. Watching her eyes widen at the realization that she now couldn’t orgasm against his ministrations unless he allowed her to burned a blessed hole in his soul. She didn’t pull away or push towards him. She simply watched in glassy eyed amazement as his tongue and fingers worked her. She started to whimper and then moan as she got close; he kept her there only a few seconds before she began bucking against his face. In response, Chakotay eased her back from the precipice. She groaned unhappily, but didn’t try again to push back into him. He brought her to the edge twice more, holding her there for moments before backing off.

Wetness dripped from his chin as he pulled away from her, enlarging the dark spot forming on the sheets below them. _Mild pain, dirty talk, orgasm restriction. Check, check, and check._ He raised his upper body onto his elbows so she could see his full face, his lips and chin glistening from the juices covering them. She had closed her eyes at some point, fighting to keep herself from orgasm, and he hadn’t said anything until now.

“Look at me, Kathryn.” He waited until her eyes met his again; her lips parted in a silent gasp at the sight of her juices dripping off his face. He could have lit the entire bedroom with the smile he gave her. “You see how much you enjoy this? This is what it looks like when you trust me, Kathryn, to take care of you in every way I know how. Now, you’re going to come against my tongue. You can scream, cry, move, do whatever you need short of suffocating me. Do you understand?”

Her eyes were wide on his face; he was momentarily concerned she was afraid. He waited for her to nod twice, and then moved back between her thighs. She had been frustrated for weeks now and on the edge of orgasm all night; it wouldn’t take long but he tried to prolong it as much as possible. He pulled her toward the edge of the bed and anchored himself by dropping his weight to the floor, wrapping one arm around her hips and the other around a thigh on the side of his head.

Light touches tasted her, avoiding her clit except for a few warm breaths, until she was whimpering and shaking against him. When she didn’t follow his mouth as he withdrew slightly from her, even knowing she was permitted to orgasm, he knew it was time. The first light brush of his tongue against her clit elicited a throaty moan, and he pressed harder in response until she was panting and groaning. When he wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked lightly, her orgasm ripped through her. Her hand pressed his head hard into her, and he clamped his arms against her hips and thigh as she bucked against him. Rough growls and moans tore from her throat.

Chakotay relaxed his arms around her hips as her orgasm receded, studying her carefully. Kathryn’s eyes remained closed as her breathing slowed and her muscles relaxed into the slow-paced aftermath of adrenalin and her mind flew on an endorphin high. After a few minutes, when her legs stopped trembling and could mostly support her weight again, Chakotay told her he was going to help her into bed.

Her only response was some incoherent mumbling and a shiver of cold as her body cooled down.

Chakotay placed his hands on the floor to push himself up, and Kathryn’s head popped off the bed with a look of slight panic, realizing he wasn’t touching her anymore but too far gone to recognize that he was still between her thighs. He kissed the inside of her knee. “I’m still here, Kathryn. I’m not leaving you. Let me get off the floor and into bed with you,” he repeated. Her eyes closed as he spoke. He kept murmuring at her while he straightened his legs, then hers, and pulled her up into bed, curling himself in protectively around her as she came down from the clouds. She swallowed hard. He grabbed the water he’d left on the nightstand and helped her sip. Once she could speak again, she simply said “you…” and lay her hand heavily across the front of his boxers.

“Later.”

After she took a few more sips of water, he was able to go to the bathroom for warm washcloths and clean them carefully, talking the whole time to keep anymore panic at bay.

“Looks like I get the wet spot tonight.” He whispered in her ear as he pulled a soft blanket over them; her chuckle was more a breath against his chest than a sound. She snuggled into him and was asleep before he could settle the covers around her. He cancelled their morning alarm for the next three days and focused on her warmth and breathing until he too fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Anqas = blue in Quechua, an Amerind language dating back to the Incan empire and which is still in use today in parts of the South American continent. We see in one episode of Voyager that Chakotay and his father find a related tribe somewhere in the Central and/or South American region. Given how cultural transmission and ethnogenesis happens, especially in the face of modern globalization and colonization, it is easy for me to believe that Chakotay’s native tongue would have actually formed from multiple indigenous tribes who banded together to save as much of their own traditions as possible from extinction. This would include the intermixing of linguistic terms, so throughout my stories you will see Chakotay's language include terminology that come from a variety of Amerindian origins to reflect the likely ethnogenesis that occurred throughout the years before his people left Earth in search of a planet to call their own.


End file.
